Fire officials visit QC bus terminal, to deploy trucks in cemeteries

MANILA, Philippines - The Quezon City fire department on Friday said it would be deploying its fire trucks in major cemeteries, even as it inspected Friday morning the fire safety measures of a major bus terminal in the city. Senior Superintendent Bobby Baruelo, the city’s fire chief, told GMANews.TV over the phone that at least one fire truck and ambulance would be standing by in QC cemeteries that are expected to draw huge number of observers. Still part of the city police’s “Oplan Kaluluwa," the plan to deploy fire trucks seeks to provide a quick response in cases of fire emergencies inside cemeteries like the La Loma Cemetery and the 50-hectare Holy Cross Cemetery in Novaliches. "Let us ensure that the candles had been put out before we leave the cemetery," the fire official advised. Aside from the resting place of the dead, Baruelo also advised observers to be vigilant even in their very homes before leaving them unattended. "Before leaving your homes and going to the cemetery, unplug your appliances," Baruelo said. While ensuring that cemeteries would be properly secured come All Saints’ Day on Saturday, the city fire department has already started inspecting the Araneta Center Bus Terminal in Cubao, Quezon City as early as Friday morning. Baruelo said he and his team wanted to know if the major bus terminal has the necessary fire fighting equipment and has been observing proper fire safety measures. "We wanted to know if they have exits that passengers could use if a fire erupts," he said. Fire inspection has recently been on the rise in the city, with fire officials trooping to a number of shopping malls to see if fire violations were being committed. Baruelo said that in their latest mall inspection, at the SM Fairview mall, fire inspectors said that the mall’s management was “compliant" with the fire safety guidelines. "Ang mga LPG naman nila ay nakalabas na sa building (The gas tanks are being stored outside the building)," Baruelo said. As of this posting, fire inspections in other QC establishments are still in progress. The results of which are expected to be completed by next week, Baruelo assured. - GMANews.TV